CERN and Solvay launch STEM education programme for high school students

CERN and Solvay, a Belgian science company, today announced the launch of the CERN-Solvay education programme. The three-year partnership, developed by these two leading scientific organisations, aims to inspire young people around the world to get involved in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects and aspire to related careers. It will form part of the education portfolio of Science Gateway, CERN's new flagship project for science education and outreach due to open in summer 2023.

The programme combines remote and onsite learning, allowing students to engage with the field of particle physics and explore its link to understanding the universe. Operating under the slogan “Discover your inner scientist: there are no limits to what you can explore,” the programme includes hands-on online experiments intended to demonstrate that science is accessible to anyone, no matter their age or academic experience. Students will also have the opportunity to explore scientific topics connected with CERN’s research and to work on a research project in an authentic STEM workplace at one the world's leading centres for scientific research.

“As a centre of scientific excellence and a cradle of technology and innovation, CERN is a source of inspiration for physicists and aspiring-physicists around the world, no matter their age, gender or culture,” said Fabiola Gianotti, Director-General of CERN. ”This partnership with Solvay will encourage young people to pursue careers in STEM, by giving them the chance to engage more deeply with the work we are doing at CERN and enjoy a unique learning experience that could profoundly shape their future careers.”

“At Solvay, we believe that STEM education has a crucial role to play in reinventing progress. It is by encouraging students’ enthusiasm for science and technology today that we can create the great researchers of the future”, said Solvay CEO Ilham Kadri. “Through working with a leading science organisation like CERN, which shares our passion for STEM education, we aim to inspire the next generation of scientists by giving them knowledge, confidence and hands-on experience in the exciting field of particle physics.”

For CERN, as the largest accelerator-based particle physics laboratory in the world, the programme is a means to inspire and train future generations of scientists and engineers. Similarly, for Solvay, the partnership is another new venture in the company’s extensive Corporate Citizenship programme, a key pillar of which focuses on fostering education.

This article was first published on 20 September by CERN.